On a boiling hot day at Stuart Fields Minch CC hosted Eatscombe in a top of the table clash in the Stroud premier league. Winning the toss returning skipper Pete Wallis chose to bat on a good looking Minch wicket.

Minch didn’t get the started they wanted as both openers Alex Waring and Rich Scott fell early. They rebuilt with a good partnership from Ross Britton and Simon Penn. However, Penn mistimed a pull shot to mid wicket and fell for 22. Dave Gordon at 5 dug in and he and Britton built another good partnership for Minch. Eastcombe fielded superbly throughout and when Britton fell for a well played 47, Minch were 130 for 3 with 10 overs to go. A big Minch collapse then damaged their hopes of a big score, as 4 wickets fell for just 3 runs. Dave Gee bowled impeccably to pick up 5 wickets for 32 runs. John Turton and Pete Wallis added 17 valuable runs for the last wicket to get Minch to 150, however it seemed well below par. A fine effort by Eastcombe in the hot temperatures.

In reply Minch knew they had to be really tight with the ball. And tight they were! The Eastcombe openers struggled to get the ball away. Jer Perrins fell for a duck bowled by Wallis and when James Priest removed Anth Perrins for 8 clean bowled the pressure was on. No. 3 Pete Small simply couldn’t get the ball away as Wallis and Priest bowled an impeccable line and length. When Dave Gee fell for a first ball duck to a sharp catch at 1st slip by Rich Scott off Priest and Brown also fell LBW to Priest Eastcombe were 18 for 4. The bowling was so tight that only 20 runs were scored off the first 20 overs. Jaime Waring entered the attack and the pressure built further as his 7 overs went for just 9 runs and he removed Small caught at mid on. Veteran John Turton entered the attack and also applied the pressure and 2 more wickets fell to put Minch in control.  Fred Gardner also picking up a wicket along the way. But for Luke Mortimer-Westbury at no 9 with a hard hit 35 runs, the score could have been very low, but Priest 3 for 4 and Wallis 3 for 8 returned to wrap up the innings.

Minch cemented their place at top of the Stroud league with a hard earned 20 point victory.